8" Ford diff leaking around pinion nut

I just assembled the rearend for my A pickup. I had purchased a rebuilt
third member with new gears with no warranty. The problem appears to be
oil leaking around the pinion nut through the spline in the center of the yoke. The pumpkin does look to be assembled with new parts. It's my understanding if I remove the nut and yoke to check the seal, I'll have to have the gear lash reset because of the crush washer. I really don't want to tear it all apart.
Would a few miles on it seat the seal? (Wishfull thinking)
Any ideas or suggestions or cures would be helpfull and much appreciated!
Thanks! Joe


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Are you sure it's leaking from the pinion seal and not the pinion retainer? The crush sleeve is used to set proper bearing preload or end play (shouldn't be any end play) and the shims behind the pinion retainer set the proper pinion depth. Backlash is set using the side adjusters on the carrier bearings that the ring gear rides on. You shouldn't disturb the gear settings if you pull off the yoke and get it back on in the same place that it was in.

Worse scenario is if you get it too tight and crush the sleeve some more and lock up the bearings but that's not too hard to fix by getting a new one and sticking it in and then torque to proper preload. Sounds easier than it is lol. Can you call the guy that you got it from and ask him if he used a crush sleeve or installed a solid spacer?

Whenever I build a rearend, that crush sleeve is the first thing that goes into the scrap pile. I wouldn't have any problem with doing what you are talking about. Mark the nut before taking it off, turn the yoke to see how easy it turns then when you go back, creep up on the marks and turn the yoke between creeps to make sure it doesn't get harder than it was before taking it off. I also like to use loctite on threads for some insurance.

I just fixed a leak on my Falcon 8 inch pinion in the basic same method cranky mentions.

Marked the nut, pull it off, pulled the yoke off. Spray brake clean to clear out oil.. Silly cone the snot out of it, reset the nut and stake it in place.

I used enough silicone , it looked like a first year auto student did the repair.... no leak now

__________________
At the Bonneville Salt Flats, first gear is known as 130 mph.

Is it leaking through the nut or from around the seals?

Leaking around the nut where it contacts the face of the yoke,
just a slight seepage. I hate to take it apart for that!
Thanks!
Joe

I would pull the yoke off, put liquid pipe joint sealer on the spines after cleaning it, and reassemble it. use a little blue loctite on the pinion threads. usually fixes the newer fords at the dealerships.